Company owner killed in plane crash

CUBA, Mo. – Officials continued their investigation Monday into Sunday’s single-engine plane crash that took the life of a St. Charles man and the family dog in a wooded area during a severe storm.

Jeffrey B. Hansen, 54, the pilot, was the only person on board with Daisy, a black Labrador retriever. Hansen owns Hansen Tree Service, a well-known O’Fallon, Mo.-based tree service company that also has a location in Branson.

The company issued a statement on its website that read: "It is with great sadness and reverence that we say goodbye to our founder, Jeff Hansen. The Hansen Team is grateful for your kind words and sympathies during this time.

"Our company is strong as a result of Jeff Hansen’s careful guidance and preparation; and as a result of the second generation of Hansens carrying on the legacy of honest, quality work and goodwill.

"We look forward to serving you for years to come — and we thank you for your continued business and support, both current customers and new. Jeff Hansen will simply be guiding us all from a higher place."